PANCREATIC CANCER: IS SURGERY AN OPTION?

WHAT IS PANCREATIC CANCER?

Pancreatic cancer starts when cells in the pancreas start to grow out of control. This type of cancer is often detected late, spreads rapidly, and has a poor prognosis.

There are no symptoms in the early stages. Later stages are associated with symptoms, but these can be non-specific, such as lack of appetite and weight loss.

IS SURGERY AN OPTION FOR PANCREATIC CANCER?

By the time a patient is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the disease is already in an advanced stage. For this reason, a large majority of patients are not candidates for surgical treatment. Surgery may be suggested as a potentially curative treatment or as a palliative measure to improve the patient's quality of life.

WHEN IS SURGERY POSSIBLE?

Generally, if the cancer is localized, surgical treatment, by resection or removal of the tumour, can be pursued. This means that cancer has not spread to any blood vessels, distant lymph nodes or other organs, such as the liver or lung. These characteristics are determined through various complementary diagnostic techniques. If cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes that are routinely removed during a given surgical procedure, surgery will usually still be possible.

WHAT TYPES OF SURGICAL PROCEDURES ARE PERFORMED TO TREAT PANCREATIC CANCER?

Procedures can range from removing part of the pancreas to removing the entire pancreas plus parts of nearby organs that may also be affected by tumours. Types of curative surgery include:

• Laparoscopy: This is a small operation to check for signs that cancer has spread. It can determine if a bigger operation will be helpful.
• Whipple Procedure: This is a complex operation, which involves removing the head section of the pancreas, as well as the bile duct, gallbladder and small portions of the stomach and intestine
• Distal Pancreatectomy: This operation involves the removal of the “tail” and “body” sections of the pancreas.
• Central Pancreatectomy: This operation involves the removal of the “body” of the pancreas, leaving the “head” and “tail” in place.
• Total Pancreatectomy: This operation involves the removal of the entire pancreas. In the palliative type of surgery - where the idea is to merely reduce the symptoms and improve quality of life - there are following options:
• Double By-Pass: A palliative surgical procedure to alleviate jaundice, nausea and vomiting for patients with advanced tumours in the head of the pancreas. The double bypass involves a bypass to the bile duct and a bypass to the stomach. Often a celiac nerve block is also performed.
• Celiac Nerve Block: Can be done during a surgical procedure or as a separate non-surgical procedure. This improves tumour-associated pain and may reduce the need to use pain medications.

WHY KIMS?

In KIMS, one of the best pancreatic transplant hospitals in Hyderabad, pancreatic cancer stage 4 patients also have found hope. Once pancreatic cancer spreads to the liver only the best pancreatic transplant surgery doctor in Hyderabad can help patients recover. KIMS has taken the spot of being the most sought after hospital for its commitment to saving patients with pancreatic cancer. We have hope for even those who have been rejected by other hospitals.